


The Talk

by becchan



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Background ships:, M/M, Prussia/Canada - Freeform, Spain/South Italy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-22 09:54:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7431224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/becchan/pseuds/becchan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Francis and Arthur have been hooking up for a while now and their friends make them have the Talk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Talk

Arthur and Francis had been hooking up for a while now. It was nothing serious, it wasn’t even any kind friends-with-benefits-deal. It just kept happening. Just last night, they had been at a bar with friends and somehow here they were again. Neither of them really regretted it but it wasn’t like they were public about it – even though Francis might have mentioned Gilbert and Antonio something about it. He had definitely been drunk though.

Arthur scrambled out of his bed – looks like he made it home at least – and started pulling on his underwear. Wait, shit. He glanced over his shoulder at the still sleeping figure lying on the other side of the bed. It all came rushing back to Arthur now and for a while he stood there glaring at Francis. After the unsuccessful attempt of waking the other with the power of his mind, he just shook his head and pulled a fresh shirt over his head. Oh how he wished Alfred, who he shared the apartment with, would have spent the night away. He had been chatting with someone at the bar, right? The tiny spark of hope was brutally murdered by the sound of pans clattering and something, bacon?, sizzling. Arthur walked over to the kitchen to make himself some tea. Damn straight he wasn’t making any for that frog in his bed though.

“Mornin’”, Alfred beamed when he heard Arthur’s footsteps. Arthur answered him while trying to hold back a yawn. The two of them really worked as roommates even though they were so different. Arthur was a night owl, Alfred a morning person. Arthur was always grumpy and reading books when Alfred would smile through everything as long as his Playstation was alright. They even had somewhat of a morning routine: Alfred who would pretty much always wake up earlier took a shower, brushed his teeth.. all that jazz. Then when he was making breakfast, Arthur may or may not have woken up and would have the single bathroom all for himself. And when Arthur would be making himself breakfast, Alfred would already be eating or done with his. Sometimes Arthur didn’t even have to make any since Alfred tended to cook too much. Or so Arthur thought, while everyone else knew it was because Alfred just didn’t the kitchen to burn down to ground.

“I’m surprised you made it home last night”, Alfred commented finishing cooking and spreading the bacon to two plates.   
“Mhhm”, Arthur muttered in not-so-response. He filled his kettle with water and put it on the stove before accepting the other plate from Alfred, “thanks”.  
“Usually you just end up crashing some poor guys place instead”, Alfred continued, he really liked to tease the other.  
“Whatever”, Arthur muttered laying his head on the cool surface of their glass table they had bought for 10 dollars from a yard sale.   
“Hangover?”  
“What gave it away”, Arthur sneered and glanced up to shoot a glare.  
“Funny, I’m not feeling a thing”, Alfred said stuffing food to his face, as always. He had mastered the skill of talking while eating over the years.  
“Oh, sod off..”, Arthur scowled and the teapot started to whistle. He got up to prepare the tea, but was about to drop his mug with the sudden shout:  
“I didn’t know you slept over”

Arthur span around his heels to glare warningly at Francis who had, thank God fully clothed, been on his way to the front door. Francis was silently cursing himself for being noticed, but in a bat of eyes was now smiling at Alfred.

“Ahah, yes well, you know how it is when you get drunk.. Not knowing where you are and where you’re going..”, he trailed off, taking subtle steps towards the door while speaking. Arthur behind Alfred’s back glared triggers at him – and sipped his tea. 

“I guess..”, Alfred shrugged as oblivious as ever, “do you want some breakfast?”  
“He does not”, Arthur snapped and slapped Alfred’s head slightly. Alfred turned to him looking a little puzzled.   
“You can’t hate the guy that much, Artie, if he even stayed the night”, Alfred reasoned fully aware of the little rivalry between the other two. Francis snorted.  
“Don’t worry, Alfred, I’m in a hurry anyway”, he assured and opened the door with a bye. And he was gone.  
“Wow, never thought that would happen”, Alfred said wiggling his eyebrows, “he sure seemed to be in a hurry”. Wiggle wiggle, more wiggling. Arthur blushed at the not-really-an-accuse.   
“What’s you point, huh?” Arthur asked, “And would you stop with all that wiggling!”  
“Just saying, he slept in your room instead of the couch”, Alfred said. “I’m not saying anything happened thought”, he added and winked at Arthur before walking out the kitchen leaving Arthur stand there all flustered.

Later that day Alfred met up with his brother for some coffee. 

Francis got home and his head was killing him. Why did he always have to drink so much? And why did he always end up hitting on the grumpy blond? Well, actually he knew why.. He went straight to the medicine cabinet and searched the packet of painkillers. It seemed like his roommates hadn’t woken up yet. Or they just weren’t there at all.   
Francis shared a lovely three bedroom apartment with Antonio and Gilbert. He had been searching for a place to live in just for himself but along the way the other two had joined him in the hunt. Gilbert had been living with his brother, Ludwig, who however wanted to move in with his boyfriend and as Gilbert couldn’t pay the whole rent himself and since he felt it was too soon in his then-new relationship to move in with Matthew, he practically begged for Francis to let him come live with him. Antonio came to the picture when Francis found this particular place and had found it perfect, with the big kitchen and a great location, but the rent seemed a bit too high. So instead of making the extra room a study, he asked if Antonio would like to move in. Antonio, who had been living with his parents, agreed it might be a time to get his own place. Or so Francis made him think.  
Francis flopped on the couch in the living room and fell asleep – only to be awaked by the loud noises of Gilbert making his way to the kitchen. Seems he had been home after all.

“Fuuuuuuck, my head”, Francis heard from the floor. He rose from his, now to think kind of uncomfortable, place on the couch to be greeted by Gilbert lying face down on the floor, clearly heading to the kitchen.  
“Huh”, Francis said, “I think you just broke your own personal record of the distance you’ve crawled before giving up”  
“I’m not sure if you just came home or not, but I do know that’s the shirt you wore yesterday”, Gilbert mumbled after glancing up. Francis threw him a pillow.   
“You’re wearing the clothes you wore yesterday!”  
“Well, duh”, Gilbert pushed the pillow under his head, “but according to you I am gross and you are not”  
“Point taken”   
“So are you gonna tell me?” Gilbert asked peering at Francis with only one eye open, eyebrows raised.  
“Where’s Tonio?” Francis asked instead and got off the couch to fetch some of those painkillers for Gilbert too.  
“I think he’s at Lovino’s”, Gilbert mumbled after him, “but you never know, you know?”  
“Yeah sure, whatever”, Francis muttered and dropped the packet at Gilbert’s head while passing by to the kitchen. He was craving for something disgustingly greasy. He started cooking and could soon hear Gilbert snoring away.

Later that day, Matthew called Gilbert. And Gilbert called Antonio. And Antonio couldn’t believe his ears. Francis had told them it was just one time! And now according to Gilbert according to Matthew according to Alfred; spotted, Francis leaving Arthur’s bedroom in a hurry.

A week full of plotting and scheming and ‘not’-drinking (“If it has less than 10 per cent, it doesn’t count”, Gilbert had reassured), Antonio and Gilbert decided it was time to act. So they waited for an opportunity and since neither of them was very good with patience, they decided to speed it up a notch. The whole day they talked about what to do this Friday night with their significant others – in front of Francis, of course. They were all sitting in the living room, where Francis was trying to read the new issue of Vogue.

“I was thinking of first going to the movies and then maybe grab some dinner”, Antonio started and winked his eye to Gilbert, “I know this one place near the theater that Lovi would just love!”  
“Oh man, that sounds so awesome. Maybe I should take Mattie out too!” Gilbert answered, wiggling his eyebrows glancing at Francis.   
“Yeah! We could go on a double date!” Antonio said excited. He was already digging his phone from his pocket to call Lovino.   
“Yes we should totally do that!” Gilbert answered just as enthusiastic. Francis rolled his eyes and got up to leave but neither of the two seemed to realize it all caught up in planning the night ahead. When they heard the front door shut close they noticed the absence of Francis and shut up for a second.  
“When did he leave the room?” Antonio asked, eyebrows knit together.  
“You think he went to you-know-who?” Gilbert asked in return and Antonio seemed to have a lightbulb light over his head.  
“We should totally call Alfred!”

Gilbert got his phone and called Alfred. 

“Hey! What’s up brother-fucker”, Alfred answered and even Antonio could hear his loud laughter.  
“Hey is Arthur there? Or did he leave? Maybe after a mysterious phone call?” Gilbert asked him. There was a moment of silence.  
“Hmm, well I don’t know about the mysterious but he did go out to get a drink with Francis”, Alfred answered and for some reason started laughing again.  
“Score! ‘Kay so if they come at your place later today text me, alright?” Gilbert said.  
“Sure, but why? You wanna peep on them fucking, huh?”  
“Hah! I’m not you!”  
“Wow, that’s low, dude. Real low”  
“That’s me alright, I go low”, Gilber raised his hand prepared to high-five Antonio, “like on your brother”.  
He and Antonio high-fived.   
“Yack! What did I ever do to you, ever?”  
Gilbert only laughed: “Remember to text me!” And he hung up.

That night, at the double date, Gilbert looked up at Antonio after getting a text.  
“The Eagle has landed.”  
Antonio nodded in understanding, very serious and all. Matthew looked at Lovino raising his eyebrows, Lovino just shrugged and sighed dramatically.

Arthur and Francis met up at a bar they both found nice enough and that was located around halfway from both of their apartments. Arthur was in a sour mood because earlier that day he had gotten a quite passive aggressive letter from his mother telling him all about the great things happening to his brothers: one getting married, another one engaged, one scoring a high-paying job.. 

“You look well”, Francis commented when Arthur frowning sat down next to him in the corner of the bar.   
“Fuck you too”, he grumbled back and started on his glass of whiskey. Francis just hmm-ed and for a while they sat in a comfortable silence, both welling in their bad moods.  
“So why’d you call?” Arthur asked finally, after his glass had emptied. Francis merely shrugged and swirled around his drink.  
“Thought you probably didn’t have plans”. At that Arthur smacked his shoulder, but sighed deep after. Another silence.  
“I just got another letter. From my dear mother”, he told Francis not sure why he opened up to the other man.  
“Must’ve been nice”, Francis laughed but it didn’t sound genuine. After all, he had known the Brit for most of his life and knew by now that those letter never really lifted the others mood.  
“Whatever. I don’t know why I even agreed to come”, Arthur muttered frowning.  
“We both know why”, Francis barked a laugh, “you’re tense. I’m feeling blue..”

Arthur rolled his eyes and rested his forehead against the table. Then he groaned and lifted his head turning to Francis. He gave him a long look as if measuring the other. Francis looked unimpressed with this moment of ‘consideration’. Arthur then rolled his eyes and leaned in to kiss Francis, who immediately returned the short kiss. They got up and headed out and Arthur called for a cab.  
“Your place?”  
“Yeah”

The next morning Arthur once again found himself glaring at the naked Frenchman on his bed. He gave the pile of blankets a little kick and snickered at the sound Francis’ body made when it thumped straight to the floor. Soon a flow of complaints, French curses and a lot of mumbling was heard.   
“A-aa-rthur”, Francis yawned and rubbed his forehead, “you just had to that, didn’t you?”  
“How else am I going to kick you out”, Arthur said voice a little mumbled when he pulled his shirt on.  
“Always so cold”, Francis sighed exaggeratingly and pulled his own clothes on too, giving them first a nasty look. This was so not like him, to put on used clothes.  
“Just get out, will you? I’m just praying to whatever is up there that Alfred isn’t home.. again..”. Francis opened the bedroom door just to stop right on his tracks. Arthur crashed right against his back.  
“What the fuck!” Arthur stammered.   
“Um, Arthur, I swear I have nothing to do with this”, Francis mumbled and just stared right ahead of him face gone white as a sheet.  
“What the hell are you- oh”  
Alfred, Antonio and Gilbert were all three sitting there drinking coffee around the coffee table.  
“Good mo-o-o-rning!” Gilbert grinned at the two of them.  
“Come, have a seat with us!” Antonio patted the space next to him. Both Francis and Arthur just stared at them, Francis desperately wondering if he could possibly make a run for it.   
“What are you doing in my living room?” Arthur demanded from the two who did not in fact live there.  
“I let them in!” Alfred beamed, seemingly very proud of his door-opening-skills. Arthur glared at him.  
“Why? Why would you do that?”  
“Umm.. ‘Cos they asked me to?”  
“You dumb fuck”

Francis had started to inch towards the door as the two bickered to be stopped short by Gilbert jumping to throw a hand around his neck.  
“Hahaha! And where do you think you’re going!”  
“Why are you here?” Francis asked him trying to shrug the other off of him.   
“This is an intervention”, Antonio proclaimed awfully cheery for someone committing an intervention.  
“Oh, Arthur, they decided to help you with your drinking problem!” Francis said, starting again to leave, “Bye then!”  
“No no no, if I’m not getting out of this nightmare neither are you!” Arthur shouted at him pointing fingers. Francis just glanced him up and down.  
“What are you, five?”  
“Oh you little..”, Arthur started storming towards Francis his fists raised. He was not in the mood for this.  
“Wait no! It’s not about Artie’s drinking problem!” (Arthur turned his fists to Alfred now), “It’s about you two!”  
“What do you mean “you two”, there’s no we two”, Francis protested and Arthur blushed. Gesturing to Francis in a “listen to him!”-way. Gilbert snorted.   
“Yeah, right. And I’m an idiot”  
“My point exactly”, Arthur commented. Antonio then butted in, raising from his chair.  
“None of us is leaving until you two have the Talk”. Arthur looked absolutely morbid.  
“I- what? No, nope, no. There’s nothing to have the Talk about”, Francis stammered desperately with a pleading look hoping Antonio or Gilbert to have some pity on him.  
“There sure is!” Alfred said and started dragging Arthur back to his room. Gilbert grabbed Francis’ hand to pull him in too. Pushing the two of them, Alfred shut the door and placed a chair under the handle. A lot of door banging followed.  
“You cannot lock me inside my own room!” Arthur shouted through the door.  
“I sure did”, Alfred answered back with a cheerful voice.

Inside the room Francis had slumped on the bed sighing. After a while Arthur stopped with the door and instead slid down against it. Determined he glared at everything in the room except for Francis.

“I can’t believe this”, Francis mumbled and rose to sit at the edge of the bed.  
“Did you tell them something?” Arthur asked now glaring the window. Francis was silent for a moment, thinking.  
“No”, then after a while, “well.. the first time it happened I might have accidently told Antonio about it.. But I only said it happened once”  
Arthur dragged his hands along his face.  
“It didn’t really help when Alfred caught you sneaking out…”  
“It’s not all my fault!” Francis protested leaning his jaw to his hands. Arthur now glanced at him, a frown on his face.  
“Maybe we should just.. I don’t know, end doing whatever it was we were doing”, he muttered after a while staring at his own toes. Francis didn’t comment on that immediately.  
“I guess so..”, he mumbled after a while. Arthur felt his mood darken rapidly.  
“Fine”, he spat. Neither of them moved, Francis studying Arthur’s face and Arthur glaring holes to the carpet. They sat there like that for what felt like minutes.  
“I don’t want to, though”, Francis mumbled, voice barely recognizable. Arthur turned his gaze upwards, frowning a little puzzled.  
“Really?” 

Francis just shrugged and turned to watch out the window. Arthur sat watching him for a while, not certain what the feeling of relief meant. Did he too not want it to end or was he just glad the other didn’t find it so easy to stop sleeping with him? After a while he got up slowly and sat down next to Francis.

“Listen, I-“, he started but didn’t know how to continue. Francis still didn’t turn to him.  
“I-“, Arthur started again, “oh, fuck it. Want to make out?”  
Francis turned his head eyebrows raised, an amused smile on his lips.  
“Wow, how romantic”  
“Ugh, forget it”, Arthur grumbled folding his arms. Francis laughed and leaned closer, not close enough to press his lips against the others but close enough that Arthur couldn’t not look at him.  
“We could just.. Tell them we’re through..”, Arthur exhaled and swallowed, “and just sneak around more carefully”  
“Kinky”, Francis teased but then ducked forward and silenced any further protests with a kiss. Arthur kissed back and brought a hand around the other’s neck.  
“They can just-“, kiss, “wait for us to finish-“, kiss, another, third, “-talking”  
“Shut up, will you?”


End file.
